CORRUPT MALAYSIAN BORDER CUSTOMS

A piece of advice to all travellers entering Malaysia from Thailand at Bukit Kayu Hitam and or Padang Besar into North Malaysia. They are trying to extort money from foreign travellers by asking bags to be opened especially if the bags seem to be unusually large or many. They will tell u that this or that cannot be brought into Malaysia and then hint that u have to pay some undertable money and its not so bad if u just give a little but in some cases they are trying to extort like US$100 or more. After hearing similar complaints i have decided to come forward and make it public. After the customs checkpoint there is the Uniformed Police Patrol who are also trying to get in on the act. Sometimes they are acting in concert with the tour bus driver. If u can send your shopping through the shipping company. Or threaten to take down their names and report them to Immigration headquarters in Kuala Lumpur and take note of the time and date and a digital photo, that usually scares them off. Not even in dirt poor Laos did Customs ever harass passing travellers hope anyone reading this publicise this fact. It is your right to carry some amount of personal shopping (not including an excess amt of tobacco and liquor) dont get cheated into paying money for nothing.

Ever tried the Na Meo-Nam Xoi border crossing between Laos & Vietnam? Or the Boten-Mohan border crossing between Laos & China...??? Hmmm...you may have another story to tell!!!!

And what do you mean by saying "It is your right to carry some amount of personal shopping"??? Worth how much?...It is their right to check your luggage...! The onus is on you to declare..that's the customs law! So just own up? Show what you have...that's being transparent! And trying to extort USD100...? Now what was the person trying to smuggle????

I'm sorry to hear that you have been unlucky enough to have to experience such a situation. However, I have to make it clear that this is the first time I've heard of extortion at any Malaysian Border happening to a foreign tourist or a fellow Malaysian.

From my experience, the practice of the Malaysian customs officers is that if you are carrying an unusually large bag, they will request the bag to be opened for inspection (even this happens at the airport customs). I must also say that they have the power to do so.

One thing that I may point out about your experience is that I have never heard of Malaysian officers "extorting" or "asking" for money in USD (even if it happens, they are quite contend with the Malaysian Ringgit but I stand corrected).

I've returned from Cambodia in December 2005 and as I was crossing the Border from Aranyaphratet (Thailand) to Poipet (Cambodia), there were 2 Malaysian male travellers in front of me in the queue. They were asked for money to to cross the border (for your info Malaysians do not need visa to enter Cambodia).

Then next was my turn, mind you I am a Malaysian female and my mind was racing at that time as to how to react to a "request for money" if asked by the immigration officer but then I was cleared without having to give any money.

Corruption happens everywhere buddy...the difference is just the extent of it happening.

It's just a pity you had to go through the experience but it's not worth you begrudging the entire country just because of a rotten apple, is it?